It would be more difficult than the Santa Cruz.
Some are starting to wonder if sister brand Kia might be interested in entering the pickup truck market after Hyundai’s launch of the Santa Cruz. The Bongo is a South Korean brand that has sold such a vehicle since 1980. However, it is only a workhorse designed exclusively for commercial purposes.
Interview with Autocar Karim Habib, Kia’s head for design, expressed his desire to see a ute in their lineup. Canadian automotive designer Karim Habib, 51, said that it would be in line with the brand’s portfolio. There is a lot of loyalty in the US pickup market to established brands. There are new opportunities. Maybe there’s room for another brand.
A Kia with a bed is expected to be more rugged than the Santa Cruz. It would likely be a body-on frame truck, rather than a unibody like Hyundai. Kia Australia requested the “full range of a ute family”, including gasoline and diesel engines, as well as single and dual-cab body styles.
The Mohave could be the platform, although the SUV that was previously known as the Borrego has been in existence for 13 years. A major facelift was launched in 2019. It seems that a pickup truck is still something we are unsure of. A production version will likely not be available until 2025.
Hyundai took its sweetest time releasing the Santa Cruz, following the 2015 namesake design. Therefore, logic suggests that Kia will first release a concept car before introducing a truck-sized vehicle. Since the Soul’ster concept was first shown in 2009, it doesn’t count. It was originally designed as a soft-roader.